Gender stereotypes in advertising

1950's: This advert is promoting cosmetics made for women. The main image is of Marilyn Monroe, she was a famous American actress in the 50s-60s. She was considered as a beauty icon. However, it could be argued that these images could make women feel like they have to look a certain way to be accepted by men in society. The small image in the corner features a group of men surrounding a woman who seems innocent. The men are looking at the woman as if they are judging and critiquing her face. This creates an occuring thought in peoples minds that you have to be accepted by men. 

2000s: This is an ad used to promote a product used in the kitchen. I chose these two advertising as they both aim to sell the product and they both contain quite sexist and offensive text within. In the advertisement on the left, it says that  "the only thing that cooks better (than the product) is a woman". Some people might say that this is crediting women by saying that they are really good at cooking. However, I and many others would agree that this does not. It subtly hints that women's speciality is cooking which reinforces the stereotype that women do not have any duties than to cook and clean.  The second advert contains text that is more offensive and more direct with what they are trying to say. The message "enjoy your time out of the bedroom" gives an indication that the creator of this advert assumes that women only ever belong in two rooms; the kitchen and the bedroom. The bedroom for the obvious reason to please their husbands and the kitchen to feed their family.

1950s - 2000s

Personally, I believe that the representations of women through the years have changed as not many people believe that women have one role to play "the housewife" whereas in the 50s that was an ideal and glamorised lifestyle for a woman. Although the adverts that I chose for both times are both stereotypical, the minds of the people in society have changed.